Pretoria - The City of Tshwane has ended the daily payments to Peu Capital Partners for electricity smart meters it installed as part of a project that started in 2013.
Yesterday, the City announced that it had completed the process to replace 1300 smart meters installed by the erstwhile contractor and its subsidiary Tshwane Utility Management Services (Tums).
Utility Services MMC Abel Tau said the removal of the meters meant that Peu’s system had been deactivated effective from July 1.
He said that the municipality had taken charge of the electricity metering system.
The replacement was in line with a Gauteng High Court ruling in a matter brought by AfriSake against the City’s irregular contract with Peu.
The court ordered the City to get rid of the smart meters installed by Peu.
Last month, Tau told the Pretoria News that payments of R4 million a day to Peu had been drastically reduced to R1.8 million.
He said the replacement process started in March and reached its final stage on June 30. “We have successfully managed to replace all Peu/Tums meters with our own electricity meters.
“All our customers who fall within the category of small power users will continue on the City’s pre-paid meters while the large power users use the post-paid meters,” he said.
He assured residents that no consumer would lose any balance or credit that was available on their account before the meter replacement.
He said the costs of replacement were borne by the City, and assured consumers that they would not be billed for the removal.
“Like any other project or situation where change is effected, the City experienced various challenges on the Peu/Tums meter replacement project which were effectively addressed. We will continue to respond and address complaints and/or challenges as and when they are lodged,” said Tau.
He added that domestic consumers were able to purchase pre-paid electricity at any of the City's cashiers or one-stop centres.
They can also utilise third party vending such as Pick * Pay, petrol service stations, Spar and banks.